Install GNS3 (Graphical Network Simulator) On Linux

Are you preparing for any Network certification exams? I’ve got a good news for you. Meet GNS3, a free, cross-platform, and open source graphical network simulator. It is one of the best simulator for those who are preparing for exams like Cisco CCNA, CCNP, CCIE, Juniper JNCIA, JNCIS and JNCIE. If you are a student, and can’t afford to buy a real routers and switches to test commands, GNS3 is your asylum. Using GNS3, you can easily simulate and use various types of virtual network switches and routers regardless of the operating systems you use.

It is not only for students, but also can be used for Network professionals to test and build complex networks before implementing them in the production environment. GNS3 has various exciting features, including support for VirtualBox and QEMU, so that you can import and test various virtual machines to test along with virtual networks. If you are a Network certification trainer, you can also use GNS3 in your Lab to teach your students as the way you teach using the real network devices. GNS3 supports Linux, Microsoft Windows, and Mac OS X.

In this tutorial, we will see how to install, configure, and use GNS3 in Ubuntu 16.04 LTS desktop.

Install GNS3 On Linux

GNS3 is available in the default repositories of many Linux distributions. Also, GNS team offers separate repository to provide up-to-date packages. You can install it either from the official repositories or from GNS repositories.

On Arch Linux:

GNS3 is available in AUR. To install packages from AUR, you should install packer or yaourt tools. You don’t have to install both. Just install any one of them.

Not just Network devices, you can also add, configure and test Virtual machines (from Oracle VirtualBox or VMWare), Docker containers etc,. in GNS3 application.

In short, GNS3 has everything you to need to setup either a simple or complex network environment, including a switch, a router, a virtual machine etc. What do you need more? Go get it and improve your networking skills.

You might want to download the following free resources related to networking and Virtualization.

That’s all for now. If you find our guides useful, please share them on social, professional networks, so that other users can also benefit. I will be here soon with another interesting and useful article. Until then, stay tuned with OSTechNix.